Electrical control of flow of water to basins of washstands or lavatory-bowls.



No. 682,006. Patented Sept. 3, |90I. I. G. WATERMAN.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL OF FLOW OF WATER TO BASINS 0F WASHSTANDS OR LAVATORYBOWLS.

(Appumion am Feb. 2s, i901.)

(No Modal.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Sept. 3, |90I.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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I. G. WATERMAN.

ELECTRICAL GONTBUL 0F FLOW 0F WATER T0 BASINS 0F WASHSTANDS 0R LAVATORYBOWLS.

(Application med Feb. 2s, 1901.) o Mortel.)

No. 682,006. Patented Sept. 3, |90I. I. G. WATERMAN.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL 0F FLW 0F WATER T0 BASINS 0F WASHSTANDS 0R LAVATORYBUWLS.

(Application led Feb. 23, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(N0 Model.)

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1 NTTED STATES PATENT Thron.

ISAAC G. WATERMAN, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRICAL CONTROL OF FLOW F WATER TO BASINS OF WASHSTANDS ORLAVATORY-BOWLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,006, datedSeptember 3, 1901.

Application filed February 273, 1901. Serial No. 48,425. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC G. WATERMAN,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Santa Barbara,in the county of Santa Barbara and State of California, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in the Electrical Control of Flow ofW'ater to Basins of Vashstands or Lavatory -Bowls and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to washstands or lavatory-bowls.

One object of the invention is the provision of improved means forelectrically controlling the fiow of water to the bowl or basin by themanipulation of switches or push-buttons, thereby rendering theadmission and stoppage of the flow easy and expeditious.

Another object is to provide novel means for automatically andelectrically cutting off the flow of water to the bowl when thewaterlevel has reached a predetermined height, thereby preventing thewaste of water or overflowing of the bowl.

Having the foregoing objects and others not specifically mentioned inView, the invention consists of certain novel features, combinations,and adaptations of parts set forth in detail hereinafter and recited inthe claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective viewillustrating the apparatus in use; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectionalelevation of the magnets, showing other allied parts in full lines; Fig.3, a side elevation of one pair of magnets, showing the Valvebox insection; Fig. 4, a transverse section of the bowl with certain parts indotted lines; and Fig. 5, a vertical section of the bowl, pipes, andtank.

The bowl or basin t of the washstand is provided with a waste-pipe t',whose vertical branch is closed by a suitable waste plug or stopper u.The water is delivered to the bowl by a pipe p, leading to a suitablefaucet discharging thereinto. At some suitable point adjacent the bowl Ilocate a float-tank w, whose bottomis connected to the waste-pipe t orbowl above the plug by a pipe o. In

the tank is a float having an upright stem or rod x', guided by asuitable stationary bracket oc", which engages and carries with it i-nits up-and-down movements`a pivoted circuit-making lever y, adapted tocontact with electrical contact fingers or members z and complete acircuit through them. The pipe p is provided with branches p', leadinginto valve-boxes q, which have the pipes q opening thereinto. One ofthese pipes q can be run to a source of cold-water supply and the otherto a source of hot-water supply, whereby through the agency of myimproved electrical controlling devices either hot or cold water, orboth, can be supplied to the bowl t.

There are two electromagnetic devices forA the separate control of thehot and cold water, and as they are duplicates and their electricalconnections and operations are identical only one set will be described.

A bracket j, suitably secured to the wall, is provided, the same havingcollars y", in which are fitted the reduced ends of upper and lowerhollow electromagnet-cores e c, connected by a collar h. On the magnetsare coils c, incased by shells d. Above the upper and below the lowermagnet pole-pieces are armature-plates g, and these are connected by arod f, extending through the hollow magnet-cores e, acounterbalancing-weight and cord g' passing over a pulley g", beingconnected to the upper armature-plate and adapted to maintain thearmature-plates and parts carried thereby wherever positioned by theaction of the magnets. On the lower end of the rod f is a slide-valve n,located in the box q and adapted to cover and uncover the port leadingto pipe p', and said valve is held or balanced on its seat by thewater-pressure, assisted bya spring o. A contact-arm 7c is carried bythe rodf, and bearing on the top of said arm 7c is a contact member Z,connected to the wall, while below the arm, on the wall, is a contactmember m. When the armature-rod is raised, the arm 7a keeps the contactlraised and out of contact with fm, but when it is drawn down it allows Zand m to come together.

An electric battery of a suitable number of cells is shown at on, fromwhich the circuits run as follows: b to upper and lower coils c,

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upper coils c, via b to push-button r, and via return-wire b2 to batteryd. Lower coil c, via wire b3 to contact Z, to bush-button s, and via b2to battery a. m, via wire b* to one of thebzcontacts z, and from theother contact z to The operation is as follows: On pressing push-buttonfr the circuit through upper coil c is completed, whereupon its coreattracts upper armature-plate g, thus moving valve n from the portleading to 19' and allowing the water to flow from pipe q into pipes pand p and into the bowl. At the same time the contact Z is allowed toengage contact m, thus completing the circuit for the final automaticshut-off in case the flow is not otherwise stopped. As the armatureplates and rod are balanced by the weight, they will remain wherepositioned, and hence the valve will remain open until the flow isautomatically checked or push-button s pressed. If button s is pressed,the circuit will be completed through lower coil c, Whose core will thendraw up the lower armature-plate g and close the valve, thus stoppingthe flow and also separating contacts l and m. Should the Water be leftrunning, it will rise in tank w, lifting the float .fr and graduallyraising contact-lever -y until at a predetermined height of water-levelin the bowl or basin the said lever will bridge the two contacts e, andby thus completing the circuit branch b4 energize the lower coil c andcause its core to draw up the armature-rod and close the valve n. Inconsequence it is impossible for the bowl to overiiow if the water isleft iiowing, as the flow will be automatically stopped When apredetermined level is reached. The water will drain off from the bowlon opening the plug u and the ioat a: will then fall to normal position.

The second set of electromagnetic apparatus and valve, of which theelectrical connections are not shown, is employed for controlling thesupply of hot water, its circuits and operation being the same asheretofore described, but entirely independent thereof, in consequenceof which either hot or cold Water can be separately directed into pipe por both hot and cold made to flow together therethroughA I am aware thatmany changes of construction and operation and arrangement of cir; cuitscould be resorted to in carrying out my invention Without detractingfrom any of its advantages or essentially altering its form or manner ofacting, and I do not therefore limit myself to the precise constructionsand arrangements herein shown and described, but consider myselfentitled to all forms and modifications falling within the spirit andscope of the invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with afluid-receptacle, a pipe adaptedto supply the same, and a valvecontrolling the flow through the pipe, of a floattank communicating withthe receptacle, an electrically-controlled device for closing the valve,a float in said tank which has an upright stem, a guide for said stem,contactfingers in circuit with the electrically-controlled device, and apivoted lever actuated by the stem which is adapted to bridge thecontact-fingers when raised to a predetermined height, whereby thecircuit is closed and the electrically-controlled device energized toclose the valve and cut oif the fluidsupply.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a source ofduid-supply, and a valve controlling the flow of fluid, of independentelectrically-controlled devices, one adapted to open the valve, and theother to close the valve, an independent circuit and embraced circuitcloser for the valve-opening device, an independent circuit and embracedcircuit closer for the valve-closing device, a circuit which isautomatically completed, in part, when the valve is opened, and anindependent automatic circuit-closer in the lastnamed circuit and incircuit with the valveclosing device which automatically closes itscircuit at a predetermined time and thus energizes the valve-closingdevice to close the valve.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presenceof two witnesses.

ISAAC G. WATERMAN.

Witnesses:

I-I. C. BOOTH, C. F. EBERLE.

